Analysis of Factors Influencing Cultivated Land to Maize Between Nakasongola and Soroti Districts, Uganda

Abstract

Low productivity is a major challenge facing agriculture in Uganda. CIMMYT agricultural is pioneering for effective and efficient as well as dissemination of improved agricultural technologies in form of seed varieties as one of the numerous ways in increasing yield. An analysis of the determinants of cultivated farm size among smallholder farmers in Soroti and Nakasongola districts fills in the gap between technological adoption and increased productivity. Primary data was captured in 2008 on a total of 156 households; 75 from Nakasongola and 81 from Soroti. Complementary secondary data came from various government departments and non-governmental organisations. Specifically, the study compares the two districts' dynamics in land distribution, utilisation and cropping patterns as well as the main type of non-seed input intake. Cultivated farmland is on average 5Ha per household. Soroti exhibits less hectares per household with respect to Nakasongola and practices crop cultivation a lot more than livestock rearing. Additionally, agro-ecological differences account for less livestock rearing in Soroti. The dynamics in cultivated land in both districts showed that households are demanding more land than is being supplied. The study shows that purchased non-seed inputs were less utilized in both districts.